Evelyn was always impressed by the decor and ambiance in Moreau's. It was a pretty French/Italian fusion restaurant. It was expensive, of course, but also very exclusive, so exclusive in fact that it was difficult for even someone of Evie's stature to get a reservation. She had to leverage her popularity as the U.S.'s most viral Congresswoman to get a table for two at such short notice. However, it's exclusivity meant that it wasn't uncommon to see sitting Representatives and Senators dining there. Her presence meeting an old friend there certainly wouldn't make a splash in the papers. Or at least, it wouldn't have if Nick hadn't made a spectacle of himself in public. For someone who claimed to just be a normal man, he certainly had a flair for the dramatic.

Evie's mouth twisted into a wry smile. Regardless, what happened happened, and she had to make the best of it. Knowing that Nick was blessed like her made things easier in some ways. She'd been hoping that she could trust her childhood friend's brother with knowledge of her gift. The fact that he was also blessed made him less likely to abuse her trust, or so she hoped. If they were lucky, the paparazzi would've grown somewhat bored or at least Nick would evade them. None of them would make it inside the premises of course, Moreau ran too good of a business to allow that. However, knowledge that she was meeting with him would almost certainly get out. Evelyn sighed. She would just have to be more careful of eavesdroppers.

Even in a room full of important people, Secretary Trano still made ripples as he entered. No one was so crass as to openly stare at him, but his progress towards her was tracked out the corners of many eyes, and whispers followed his wake. The entire restaurant was aware that a powerful man - both in the political and literal sense - was among them. Evie stood once he reached her table, offering her best politician's smile and handshake. "Nick, thank you for joining me. I'm certain that you have a very busy schedule, especially now."


Once they were seated, Evelyn bowed her head, clasping her hands in her lap. She quickly ran through an 'Our Father' before making her request silently Lord Jesus, shelter us. Dampen the flows around our table, so that sound travels less easily. Amen.
When she looked up, Nick appeared somewhat wary. "That trick is something that I used to use with Maddie all the time. It helped us gossip in school without getting in trouble."
Evie was still saddened by the loss of her best childhood friend, just as she always was. Hopefully mentioning her would get the elephant out of the room though. "I'm not sure the exact science behind it, but it muffles sound. It's not perfect. Someone actively standing by us and actively trying to eavesdrop may succeed, but it will prevent people in the tables nearby from easily overhearing us."
With that, she grew silent. She'd given Nick enough to muse over for now.

((I figured that Trano might get goosebumps when a woman is channeling around him, as some men do.))


Edited by Evelyn, Aug 24 2016, 01:56 PM.

Under the cover of darkness, Damien waded through the crowds of Moscow in silent anonymity. His business done with the Ascendnacy, Damien sought the pleasures of the night. For so long he had been fighting, he almost forgot how to enjoy himself.

The streets were full of men and women who slunk through the shadows like fugitives. Not so with Damien, he strode without concern or regard for the souls that passed by. What business was it of theirs, to judge a man or woman for their choice in pleasures? The lamb did not scorn the lion for hunting its prey.

The line of thinking was swept aside for more pleasant thoughts. He had begun to accept the innate foolishness of humanity. Perhaps in time they would learn. For the time being, Damien was content to do as he pleased.

"My, my, you are handsome, aren't you?"
a young woman's voice curled up in his ear. Husky and suggestive, the woman reinforced her statement with her hands boldly groping at his belt while her necklace dug into the skin of his neck.

Damien smiled, but inside his mood soured. The whore stunk of alcohol and stale perfume, her pock-marked face covered with a lather of ill-suited cosmetics that made her look more like a clown than temptress. He did not begrudge her because of her trade, but he did disdain those who performed it so poorly.

"Not now, sweet. Perhaps another time,"
he replied laconically, idly removing her hands from his pants with gentle care. She pouted at him, but the look in his eye told her not to press the matter further.

"Fine, be that way."


She pushed herself away with sharp nails digging into his chest. Damien grunted as she smiled at him with vicious pleasure. He frowned as he pressed a hand to his breast.

Blood.

"Wha..."


The world around him began to fade at an alarmingly rapid pace. Damien had no time to even call out to those around him before his legs grew weak and he stumbled.

Vaguely, he heard the woman's voice somewhere in the distance. It echoed in his head. "Now, now. Don't worry."


The seductive charm had been replaced with cool confidence. More, he recognised the familiar Maine accent. "Everything will be fine, Mr. Oakland. You are in good hands."


As his legs struggled to remain upright, he felt arms grasp under his armpits to shoulder the weight. The woman - whoever the hell she was - was carrying him!

Rage boiled like a distant thundercloud, but it slipped away like rain off a window pane. The lure of sweet oblivion was far too strong. Soon it overwhelmed him, dragging him into the depths of unconsciousness.


Edited by Damien, Aug 24 2016, 08:44 AM.

The press conference was worse than Nicholas expected. Fresh off Nikolai Brandon's public ego masturbation, the questions were brutal. The press didn't want to listen to proposals for common sense legislation, they wanted a witch hunt. Guess this is what it feels like on the other side,
Nicholas thought. He was nursing his third drink of the night in the back seat of a government car. He took another sip.

Ever since the terror attack in the 2030's, all major government officials in the line of succession had to be escorted at all times. Two secret service agents sat in the front. Nicholas couldn't deny the humor in it all. He'd spent years as a kingmaker, politicians at his beck and call. Building up people's careers and shattering others. He'd been the fox, and now he was meeting the wolves. They didn't care about any higher ideals of some mythical fourth estate. They wanted ratings, and blood always sent those sky high.

A pothole in the road almost made Nicholas drop his glass, but he didn't. Evie,
he thought. She sent him a message after the conference was over. She wanted to meet, to discuss old times. It wasn't long ago she'd come by asking for advice, and help. He couldn't help her directly, but he tore down every democrat in her way. He wondered what his dead sister's best friend wanted now.

"Mr. Secretary," the voice came from the driver up front. "An office building up ahead is on fire and the road's closed. We're changing the route."

Bad press,
Nicholas thought. That's it.
He downed the drink and looked up at the rear view mirror, his eyes meeting the driver's. "No, it's not. Find us a place to park. You two are about to see why I just got the position."


"What are you going to do, Secretary?" There wasn't fear in the agent's voice, or much curiosity, either. He sounded resigned, more than anything. Which was good. Nicholas knew he was going to like this one.

"Something I've never done before, that's going to make my case better than any words I can come up with."
The car came to a stop in front of the road block. "But I'll need those badges of yours to get through."


They got out, and the agents flashed their badges at the cop directing traffic away from the road block. He hadn't expected to see a cabinet secretary try to come through on foot, so it wasn't hard for the agents to make him stand aside.

The fire was ugly, and cutting through the middle of the building. Nicholas could see people hanging out the windows from the upper floors. The zoning restrictions on building heights went away when they rebuilt D.C., and that wasn't good for the people trapped above the fire. Ladder trucks reached as high as they could, but it wasn't enough.

Nicholas seized the power, a violent mental battle for control that he'd narrowed down to a science. In the blink of an eye he held the force of a hurricane. Sending out tendrils of water and air, he weaved a net and sent it through the building. In the Navy, everyone had to know how to fight fires. Fuel, air, heat, and a chemical reaction were the four pillars that held the whole thing up.

Nicholas couldn't take the fuel, and taking the air away wouldn't stop the fire for good unless he suffocated everyone in the building. So, instead, he felt out. The strands were like his fingers, and when they found the flames he felt it. Methodically, he wrapped his net around every spot of flame in the building and snuffed it out, freezing the fire away.

By the time he finished, Nicholas realized that all eyes were on him. The firefighters had stopped spraying water, and the people in the windows stopped shouting for help. His two agents were standing next to him, hands in their coat pockets. Probably ready to draw in case someone thought he was the anti-Christ. No,
he thought, That's Brandon.


Nicholas used the power like a megaphone, projecting his voice. "I'm the new Secretary of Powers, Nicholas Trano,"
he began. "Some of you probably saw me on the news tonight. All I want to say right now is this. Nikolai Brandon thinks he's a god; he's not. He's just a human being like any of us. He's had the power to stop things like this for decades, and he waited until he could show it off and build himself a cult. This is a tool, like anything else. If you'll all let me, I'm going to make sure we can do the most good with it."


For a moment, nobody around seemed to know how to respond. Nicholas was sincerely hoping he hadn't disastrously miscalculated when the first one started clapping.


Edited by Nick Trano, Aug 24 2016, 01:24 AM.

Character Name: Evelyn Avalon

Forum Account Name: Evelyn

Age: 26

Birthday: November 1st, 2019

Hometown: Aberdeen, South Dakota

Occupation: Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota’s 3rd District

Psychological Description: Evelyn is young and idealistic. She was elected the youngest member of the 119th Congress, and ran her campaign mostly through online and crowd-sourced fundraising. She had a vlog-channel that explained socialist politics, and once she turned 25 she figured that she might as well try it out herself. She never expected to become an overnight viral sensation, and was extremely baffled by her success. Therefore, she’s somewhat humble and has a very ‘aww shucks, me?’ attitude at first. However, she’s very much a true believer, and reached political success without having to go through the drudgery of fundraising and kissing-up that most candidates do. Therefore, she’s passionate about using government to make a difference in the lives of ordinary Americans, and willing to step on toes to get her way. During her past year and half in Congress, her idealism has been dampened somewhat. The constant struggle of trying to get enough votes to pass legislation was eye opening to her. She’s learning to play the political game more, although she keeps an upbeat and hopeful attitude.

While Evelyn is has genuinely altruistic motives in politics, she had a bit of a spoiled upbringing. She was raised in upper-middle class household, and has never really had to struggle for success. She’s a bit entitled and deep down, she feels like the success she’s experienced is her due. While she would never openly claim ambitions of holding higher elective office like the Speakership or Presidency, it’s only natural for the media to speculate about the bright future of such a young star. And of course, in her heart of hearts she fully expects to someday ascend to those high positions.


Supernatural Powers and Abilities: As a Christian, Evelyn got through the Sickness by sequestering herself in prayer, and opening her heart to Jesus. She considers her gifts a blessing from God, and herself to be one of Jesus’ chosen prophets. She channels God’s gift through prayer. While she’s praying and saying Hail Maries, or clutching her crucifix, she can weave spells using God’s power.

Channeler current strength: 29

Channeler potential strength: 31

Channeler experience level: Adept

Reborn God: Persephone

Biography:

“And that, my fellow Americans, is why you need to call up your Congresspeople and tell them to vote ‘no’ on H.R. 4067. Do it for America; do it for me,” she said, smiling happily into the camera. “And of course, do it for all the cute little puppies and kittens like Rolf here,” she scratched under the puppy’s chin, and it shifted from its spot on her lap to look adorably towards the recorder, “Who will go hungry when H.R. 4067 slashes funding from your local shelters. Alright folks, Evie out!” She threw up a peace sign in front of her face in her classic ‘signing off’ pose.

Evelyn “Evie” Avalon, or Congresswoman Avalon as she prefers, pressed the stop button on her wallet that would end her recording. With her weekly vlog done, she passed Rolf off to the shelter worker on hand and gestured her PA to come closer. She had a busy schedule today. There was a meeting of the Foreign Relations Committee that she had to attend, as well as some documents for her to go over. She was co-sponsoring a Bill introducing term limits for House members, which was almost certainly dead in the water, but would look good on her reelection campaign in the fall. However, she’d been vlogging weekly since she started her PhD in Political Science back in 2042. She’d taken a leave of absence from Northern State University to pursue her freshman Congress term in 2044, but her online following had been what got her in office. It felt disloyal to quit vlogging once in DC. Besides, education was an integral part of democracy. If the populace could learn about important political issues through her vlog, then all the better.

As she was gathering her things, the television screen caught her attention. They were advertising the appointment of Nickolas Trano to the newly created Secretary of Powers position. Her mouth twisted into a small frown. She knew that Nick was in DC, of course, had reached out to him since she moved in town. However, their relationship hadn’t been very good ever since Maddie… well, Evelyn clutched at the cross around her neck, and said a prayer in remembrance. Besides, Evie had always been more of a little sister figure than a friend in his mind, or at least so she imagined.

“Ma’am.”

Natalie’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Evie turned to her PA, smiling apologetically. “Sorry, let’s go then.” Evie accepted the papers, reading through them as she walked. They’d done this routine enough that she trusted Natalie to make sure she didn’t walk into anything or anyone. The House Committee on Foreign Affairs meeting was specifically a CCD Subcommittee meeting. As the lowest ranking member of the Committee, she was supposed to have been assigned to the African Subdivision. However, she’d managed to leverage her popularity and youth in her favor. Evie wasn’t naïve; she knew that her pretty face got her a lot more viewership than most politicians. She’d convinced the Party leadership that if they put her on the CCD subcommittee, then she’d use her internet platform to push their positions. Everyone in politics loved a win-win.

Evelyn had wanted to be on the CCD Subcommittee for various reasons. The first was that it was the most powerful and influential subcommittee. If she wanted to run for elective office someday, having diplomatic experience to the other global superpower would be invaluable. Additionally, she honestly believed that the US would have to cooperate with CCD in some manner to promote global peace and prosperity. Open warfare, or even covert warfare, with the Dominions would only cause calamity. Evie wasn’t blind to the problems with the CCD. There was a suspicious lack of democracy and accusations of humanitarian abuses regarding Ascendancy. However, she admired how Ascendancy had turned a situation of international strife into order and prosperity. Therefore she believed that she played something of a balancing role on the CCD Subcommittee: she was rightfully cautious towards the nation, but constantly looking for ways to push international cooperation and extend olive branches.

Evelyn stifled a laugh as she looked down at the documents in her hands and read the meeting agenda. It was an emergency meeting in response to Ascendancy’s announcement of his Godhood. The Congresswoman absentmindedly fingered the beads of her rosary, resisting the urge to open herself to Jesus and use her own gift. God’s power was not to be used frivolously. She hadn’t realized that there were other Prophets like herself, but it would make sense that a man like Ascendancy would be similarly blessed. If the reports were validated and the man truly did have the “Power,” as the media was beginning to call it… well, perhaps she and her old friend Secretary Trano would find their paths crossing again, in a professional setting this time.
Edited by Evelyn, Aug 25 2016, 03:19 PM.

I'm thinking about Jensen returning to Texas to reunite with his family since the CCD announcement that magic is real. He could kind of "come out" as a channeler.

Question is anyone interested in doing some RP with a couple Texans? Jensen and the wife? I don't know if it's ok to say she governor now. Last she was around, she was running for office.

Looks like Damien is operating in Mexico!

Mexico


Edited by Michael Vellas, Aug 22 2016, 02:53 AM.

There was a place located on the edge. This place had a silent shore and dark waters, the gray of night time waters, though the ever-present glow lit the world.

The water licked, but did not lap, upon jagged rocks, jutting from the earth like granite crystals. Cut into the rock was a ledge. And upon the ledge a girl sat, enthroned, peering across the dark sea. She had the face of a porcelain doll, a narrow chin and focused, narrow black eyes. Her hair was a sheet of black silk. Her dress a feminine white chiffon.

In the distance, the water rippled. Rolling black waves of velvet grew in size and velocity as it approached the shore.

The girl bit her lip, eyes lighting with anticipation. She stood, bare feet hurrying to the water, but she was careful to keep her toes dry.

The wave foamed and crashed as it approached the shore. She lifted her hands to greet it like a hug. And as it reached her, the water spouted into the air. The girl squealed with delight, bouncing excitedly.

The water sprayed in sheets toward the gray sky. She thrust her fingertips onto the spray, felt a bony hand grab hold of hers, and yank.

The water was not wet when it pulled her through its curtain. The blackness blebbed from the surface of the dark sea, carrying her inside its shadowy sphere. A sense of movement told her she was speeding through the air, crossing the rocky cliff faces, soaring over forests, and sailing through the prairies. Snarling bears peeked in upon her. Lightning rippled the globe of blackness. Swords jabbed at her legs. Onward it roamed-a terrible storm.

Finally, she came to stillness and the darkness descended. Her toes curled on the grass, crunching leaves that were there one second and gone the next. Then, a man appeared.

He turned, eyes wide with fright and skin pale with terror, and looked at her like she was a part of his nightmare.

She laughed, "My name is Mara!"


She snapped her fingers and he screamed himself awake.

The darkness dissolved.

Mara sighed with contentment and studied her surroundings.

Tall grass. A river. Some trees. It was quite nice here.

PPC: Ambassador Kent Stevens

Just ten years ago, Kent Stevens commanded a destroyer in the South China Sea, with orders to sink any Chinese ship that came near. It was strange, now, to find himself working in the American embassy in Beijing. Diplomatic ties had been frayed, some feared beyond repair, but after several years of trying the Chinese knew they had more to fear from Nikolai Brandon and his so-called peaceful hegemony than they ever had from the United States.

Besides all that, it wasn't like the war hadn't come to an amicable conclusion. Taiwan maintained its independence, and China finally controlled the gigantic swathes of oil-rich land under the South China Sea that they had always claimed were theirs. Old men sent young men to die in war, as they always had. A new found peace between the two giants was built on their corpses, left to rest on the sea floor. And now here he was, awaiting a meeting in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the Minister.

Kent's reverie was broken when a secretary entered the waiting room. He stood as she bowed, and then responded in kind. "Minister Yang is ready to see you now," she said. Her English was impeccable. Not surprising, given her position in the Foreign Ministry.

She invited him to follow her, so he did. It didn't take long for them to reach the Minister's office. Two large doors of dark oak, carved in various traditional patterns barred the entrance. She opened one, with such ease as to imply hidden motors in the hinges helped her along, and ushered him in.

Kent strode into the office. There were two chairs and a coffee table to one side of the office, but the thick handwoven carpet and gold-trimmed laquer panels of the room pointed toward the portly man sitting behind the dark wood desk. Very Feng shuei. The Minister, middle aged and much stouter than the average Chinese he'd seen, came to his feet.

The Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs didn't seem to care for ceremony. "Ambassador Kent," he said, "I assume you have come to return our defective merchandise after all, no?"

A joke, of course. Kent gave a light twist of his lip as he patted his hip, where three shards of shrapnel were still embedded. The rocket hadn't gone off quite right when it hit. "Not today, I intend to keep it as a memento of the pleasant times we've shared."

Foreign Minister Yang gave a chuckle, at least that's what Kent assumed passed for a chuckle from the man. "I do not wish to waste either of our time with a meeting if this matter has been settled. And I trust is has been." They both knew the drone was already in the air, safely tucked away inside a C-130 cargo plane. The United States had worse things to worry about than Chinese spying. And that was why they were here.

So, Kent thought, To business then. It wasn't exactly rare for the crypto boys in Hawaii to hack into and pilot down Chinese drones. "I'm afraid this meeting's about a little more than lost hardware. Tell me, Minister, what's been going around the office about the situation in Africa?"

The Foreign Minister squinted at him. "Our dealings in Africa are none of yours, or your country's concern."

The Minister's stance was amusing. It wasn't as if Kent didn't know. China had long since mined out the majority of its mineral stores. Losing their supply of Rhodium from Sierra Leone would be crippling - and that wasn't the only thing at stake. "I'm not here to browbeat you, Minister. I'm here to work out a deal. You're not the only one who needs those resources, and with the way things are going it's only a matter of time before the Custody moves in."

If there was one thing the socialist Chinese government understood, it was how to improve its hand through making a deal. Had the Custody not appeared on stage, they would likely be top dog by now. Kent knew the Central Committee and the Premier had no interest at all in playing second fiddle to Nikolai Brandon. They'd spent decades chomping at the bit under United States global hegemony. But the Minister remained silent, considering. "There are...players afoot on that continent," Kent continued. "We intend to throw our backing behind one of them. Perhaps we can work something out that is in both of our best interests."

Specific proposals would come later, of course. Kent was pretty sure Minister Yang got the idea of this proposal. They'd carve the continent up like a slice of pie. Chinese colonialism, what an interesting concept. Yet given the chance to get as large a slice of the pie, of course they would. If not, the Custody would swallow it all whole.

((Written with Jon Little Bird))


Edited by Nick Trano, Aug 18 2016, 10:12 PM.

(much work in progress, expect much editing)

Algeria - Legion Aligned, African Union member.

Current home to the Legion, who has based its headquarters and training grounds in the ghost-city of Sidi Bel Abbès. Algeria has been in a steady economic decline over the past twenty years, thanks to collapses of the global market. The sale of the dead city of Sidi Bel Abbès to the Legion is hoped to help revitalize the nation's economy.

Angola
After five years of severe drought from 2016-2021, the oil-field fires of 2023, and a suicide bombing that killed most of the elected government during the 2023 Halloween Massacre remembrance ceremonies, Angola ceased to exist as a unified country, degrading to a handful of city-states.

Benin - Legion Aligned, African Union member

The multi-party democratic government system of Benin continues to be one of few functional ruling bodies, and has been running succesfully since the mid '90s. After a bloody coup in Togo, its western neighbor, the Benin military was deployed to bring peace to the region. After a ten year peace-keeping mission, a referendum was held in Togo which saw the region join Benin.
Benin continues to be economically and socially stable, despite a decade of border conflict with Burkina Faso and Nigeria, and a near-devastating fungus outbreak which had threatened to destroy most of the nation's cotton and agricultural industries. Nigeria continues to deny any involvement in this, despite circumstantial evidence that the fungus was intentionally engineered and purposefully released.

Botswana - African Union member.
Advances in modern medicine and medical procedures, coupled with an aggressive campaign of education and awareness has seen Botswana's number of HIV infected citzens drop from 1.5% to less than .02% in twenty years. With the advent of an AIDs vaccine in the mid-30s, and an expensive, if short lived, international funding effort, the spread of the virus was contained.
In 2032, a Poland-born nun, Kalina Żuraw, was declared president with a land-slide victory, despite not running for office, after a hugely sucesful social-media campaign. She won a second election in 2036, and during her eight years in office is attributed to the social and economic reforms which has seen Botswana become one of a handful of stable nations in modern Africa.

Burkina Faso - Open Conflict with the Legion

Severe droughts in the '20s and into the '30s was briefly offset by an ambitious irrigation project, which led to severe depletion to the nation's natural aquifers and only ended up hastening the loss of cropland and jungles.
With the loss of most of the nation's ground water, what had begun as a volunteer animal rights group became an armed extremist eco-terrorist movement, based mostly in the southern reaches of the country, protecting what remains of the nation's reserves and national parks, which government forces are actively trying to burn for crop and grazing land.

Burundi
One of the poorest nations in Africa, Burundi collapsed as a coherent state in the mid-twenties, after the DRZ, Tanzania, and Uganda succeeded at closing their borders to a fresh wave of refugees out of Rwanda. Swamped by the sudden influx of tens of thousands of refugees, the nation buckled and collapsed into a handful of city states and unclaimed land. Much of which was later siezed by the DRC for its uranium deposits.


Edited by Jacques, Nov 7 2017, 07:42 PM.

Aria had plenty of time to sit and do absolutely nothing while she waited on the Regus and Martin Borovsky to come up with their plan. She was sure her only objective would be to lead them into the den of the lion. And to their deaths.

Thankfully she had her wallet with her and she was able to text Nox to stay away from HQ. He was having a busy day. He said they had a lot to talk about but he didn't want to do it over texts. Annoying since she could likely be dead before she saw him again. But whatever...

A book was sitting open on her lap in a comfortable chair in the library. It wasn't like home, and she was truly bored out of her mind. She was avoiding anything that put her around people, the emptiness was grating.

Aria started reading the next page of her book, and rubbed at her temple. The edge of a headache started. Things started to get blurry. The pain intensified at a greater rate. And soon it was completely unbearable. Her mind was overwhelmed with pain. Oh the pain. Nothing but pain...

Aria's heart was racing in her chest, she could feel it pounding against her fingers as she clenched her hands to her head. Overwhelming pain... fear... hate... misery... regret... but it was mostly pain - her own pain but the rest weren't her.

Aria pulled her safety around her but it slipped from her grasp. The bubble was elusive. Aria saught the calm of her center. It was reflex when things went chaotic. To search for the calm center and when she found it nearby Aria's heart dropped. Everything else stopped. The pain, the hate and every other overwhelming emotion that was flooding her brain evaporated on the one swift edge - Dane!

The moment passed and the world crashed in on Aria again and she realized why. Stupid girl! she chided herself. Her senses had been wide - trying desperately to grasp any and every possible emotion out there and striking at a loss. It was a measured effort, a distinct pulling of her senses back inside after the distance she'd stretched them. She could feel blips of people around her. Fear, Anger, Hate. There was plenty of that to go around. Plenty.

Aria smiled to herself - her powers weren't gone. But now there was a problem. She was told not to leave the mansion, and she had been willing to obey - until now. Until she knew where Dane was. Dane was sitting looking in her bathroom window. When did he get back? Aria smiled to herself - would she risk the ire of the Regus by leaving, even for a moment??